Entree – Pork

Pork Tenderloin Cherry Jubilee

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A Family Favorite from the residents at Vi Highlands Ranch.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 tsp crushed sage
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 c sherry or brandy

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Place pork tenderloin in a shallow casserole.
  3. Rub it with garlic, sage and pepper.
  4. Mix cherry pie filling with brandy
  5. Spread over the tenderloin.
  6. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour.  (145°)
  7. Slice and serve with cherry sauce from casserole.

Serves: 4 – 6
Source:  Judy Merkel, Vi Highlands Ranch

Bacon in the Oven

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So we want BLTs for lunch.  What a chore – cook the bacon, clean up the mess. Finally, make the sandwich.  Even in the microwave six slices took ten minutes.  That is why we always cook bacon, a pound at a time, in the oven and keep it in the freezer.  Instant BLT, instant bacon crumbles on the tomato soup, ditto salad.  Yes, I know you can buy bacon crumbles, but it is not the same.

Ingredients:

  • sliced bacon – at least a pound, maybe two
  • parchment paper or aluminum foil
  • rimmed baking sheet(s) – the larger the better
  • tongs
  • paper towels

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 400°.
  2. Prepare the baking sheet. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. It helps with cleanup to overlap on all four sides.
  3. Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer. The slices can be close together or touching, but don’t let them overlap or they’ll stick together during cooking.
  4. Bake the bacon until the bacon is deep golden brown and crispy, about 14 minutes for regular bacon and 18 minutes for thick-cut bacon. Exact baking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and how crispy you like it. Begin checking the bacon after 12 minutes.
  5. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to the paper towels.

If you want to save the bacon grease, (How else do you make cottage fried potatoes??) let it cool slightly, then pour it  into a heatproof container and refrigerate. If you don’t want to save the grease, let it solidify on the baking sheet, then crumple the foil or paper around it and discard.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover bacon for 1 week or freeze it for up to 3 months. Rewarm the bacon in the microwave or oven before serving.

Serves:  Your guess is as good as mine!

Source: thekitchn.com

Chorizo da le PedzzWell

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Chorizo sausages originated in Spain and Portugal. Unlike most varieties of Iberian chorizo (which is a cured and dried in a way somewhat similar to salami or pepperoni), Mexican chorizo is actually a raw sausage that must be cooked before eating. Chorizo is usually employed in relatively small quantities to add a great flavor boost to countless Mexican dishes:  Stirred into scrambled eggs,eat as-is (with tortillas and sliced avocado), use to fill burritos or tacos, combined with diced, cooked or sautéed potatoes as a filling for tacos, enchiladas, mixed with melted cheese to make queso fundido (also called choriqueso), use as a dip or spread on tortillas, tostadas, or bread.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Mexican cinnamon sticks, or 1 regular cinnamon stick
  •  5 whole cloves
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  •  10 whole peppercorns
  • 1 Tab Chimayo chile powder (Savory – Ground New Mexican Hot Red Chiles)
  • 1 Tab medium hot or hot New Mexican chili powder (Savory – Ground Molido Chile)
  • 1 tsp ground Jalapeño Chili powder
  • 1 Tab Mexican oregano
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1⁄2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 Ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1⁄4 cup of red wine vinegar (plus 1⁄4 cup of water as needed)
  • 1 pound ground pork or pork sausage
  • 6 oz pork belly (slightly frozen, an hour or two in freezer)

Directions:

  1. Combine cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds and peppercorns in a small, dry, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat.
  2. Roast, shaking the pan frequently, until the aromas are released (about two minutes).
  3. Removed from heat and let cool.
  4. Place spices in spice or coffee grinder to pulverize (or use motor and pestle).
  5. Set aside.
  6. Put all ingredients (EXCEPT ground pork and pork belly) into food processor.
  7. Run at high speed until it forms a paste (added extra water sparingly as needed).
  8. When it is a paste, remove to bowl.
  9. Chop pork belly in food processor.
  10. Add to the bowl with the spice paste.
  11. Add ground pork to bowl and mix all ingredients together thoroughly (use spoon or nitrile gloves).
  12. Cover and refrigerate for two days, or separate into balls and freeze up to 3 months.

Source:  Mary Oswell and Stan Pezdick

Glaze for Chicken and Game Hens

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These say they are for chicken but they will be good on “the other white meat”  pork.  Maybe even a turkey breast/leg.

  • Apricot Glaze: Mix 1/2 cup apricot jam, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons honey. Brush the apricot glaze over the hens during the last 15 to 20 minutes of roasting.
  • Asian Accent: Mix 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Brush the mixture over the hens and pour a little into the cavities before roasting.
  • Citrus Glaze: Mix 1/4 cup of thawed, frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons of honey until well-blended. Brush the glaze over the hens during the last 15 to 20 minutes of roasting.
  • Garlic-Herb: Mix 2 tablespoons of minced fresh garlic, 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary, and 2 teaspoons of finely chopped sage. Loosen the breast skin of each hen and rub one-quarter of the mixture under the skin of each bird.
  • Lemon-Basil: Rub the outside of the hens with a cut lemon and brush with melted butter. Place one lemon half and a sprig of fresh basil into each cavity.
  • Mexican Spiced: Rub the outside of the hens with packaged taco seasoning and lightly coat with cooking spray.
  • Mustard-Herb: Coat the outside of each hen with about 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Sprinkle with a mixture of dried tarragon, basil, and thyme. Deglaze the pan after roasting with 3/4 cup of white wine and serve with the pan juices.
  • Orange Glaze:  In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup Madeira wine, sherry or chicken broth, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Spoon over hens. Bake 15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180°.
  • Orange Honey Glaze:1 teaspoon fresh orange peel (grated)1/4 cup orange juice concentrate (thawed, undiluted), 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic (crushed and minced), 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, fresh orange wedges. In a small microwave-safe dish, combine orange peel, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion powder, and thyme. Bring to boiling point in a microwave oven; set aside.  Pour orange juice mixture over hens.  basting every 10 to 15 minutes with cooking juices.  Garnish with orange slices.
  • Grand Marnier:1 1/4 cup orange juice,1 1/2 cup chicken broth,1/2 cup honey,1 large orange, sliced but not peeled,1/2 cup grand marnier salt and pepper, 1/2 cup orange sections. Rub the hens with salt and pepper and put 2-3 slices of orange into the cavity of each hen.  Roast, basting frequently with a mixture of 1/2 c orange juice and honey.   Remove the hens from the pan. Skim the fat from the pan juices and place the pan over direct heat. Add the broth and 1/2 cup of orange juice. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes and then add 1/2 cup of Grand Marnier and taste for seasoning. Heat and blend, add 1/2 cup of orange sections (peeled) and heat them through. Place hens on bed of rice and pour a small amount of the sauce over the hens. Serve remaining sauce separately.

 

Finger Lickin’ Good Ribs

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Don’t be afraid to use a bottled BBQ sauce – make it own with the addition of a special rub.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 Tab kosher salt
  • 1 Tab dry mustard
  • 1 Tab paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c port
  • 8 pounds baby back pork ribs (8 racks) or St. Louis-style spareribs (4 racks)
  • Low-salt chicken broth (optional)
  • 1 1/2 c KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce plus more

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
  3. Place each rack of ribs on a double layer of foil.
  4. Sprinkle rub all over ribs.
  5. Place in ovenproof dish.
  6. Add port,.
  7. Cover tightly with foil.
  8. Bake ribs until very tender but not falling apart, about 2 hours for baby backs and 3 hours for spareribs.
  9. Carefully unwrap ribs; pour any juices from foil into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup.
  10. Reserve juices.
  11. Let ribs cool completely.
  12. When ready to serve, mix reserved liquid with BBQ sauce.
  13. Slather the baked ribs with barbecue sauce then broil (or grill) the ribs for a few minutes until the sauce is caramelized.

DO AHEAD: Ribs can be baked up to 3 days ahead.

Serves: 8 – 10

Source:  Villa Park Women’s League Gourmet:  Picnic in the South – June 2015

 

Sweet and Sticky Oven-Barbecued Pork Back Ribs

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It is mid January and the snow is COLD!  Cannot live another day without BBQ ribs?  Sweet and Sticky to the rescue.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ c soy sauce
  • ¼ c orange marmalade
  • ½ c pineapple juice
  • ¼ c honey
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
  • 2 Tab ginger, minced
  • 1 Tab lemon juice
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 4 – 5 lbs pork back ribs, fat trimmed.

Directions:

  1. Mix soy, orange marmalade, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, rosemary and pepper in a 1 or 2 gal Ziploc bags.
  2. Rinse ribs, pat dry.
  3. Cut ribs into individual ribs.
  4. Place in Ziploc bags with the marinade.
  5. Seal bags and turn to coat ribs with marinade.
  6. Set in pan or bowl and refrigerate for at leas 2 hours or up to 1 day, turning occasionally.
  7. Line a rimmed pan with foil (the drippings char).
  8. Lift the ribs from the marinade (saving the marinade) and place in a single layer, bone side down on the foil.
  9. Pour the marinade in a small pan.
  10. Bake ribs in a 350°oven, uncovered, and cook for 1 ½ hours, until the meat is well browned and pulls easily from the bones.
  11. Meanwhile, boil the marinade on low, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes (to kill meat bacteria). Watch it, it will boil over easily.
  12. (Take to party as this point.)
  13. Heat reserved marinade and pour over ribs and heat at 350° for 10 minutes.

Serves: 5-6

Source: Mary Lou Nuffer, Orange, CA in Sunset, June 2001

Comments: Can be made the day before and reheated.

Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – June 15, 2013

Rack of Spam

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There is more than a bit of amusement in the White Trash cookbooks – and some “interesting” recipes too.  Perfect for a White Trash KOA camp out.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans of Spam
  • 10 – 12 cheese wedges

Directions:

  1. Cut the Spam in slices but don’t go all the way through.  You want it to open like a fan.
  2. Insert the cheese.
  3. Aake at 400 till cheese is melted and Spam is brown.
  4. Garnish with something.

Serves:  4

Source:    White Trash Cooking II – Recipes for Gatherin’s

Pizza For a Crowd

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This is pizza for a crowd!  Two chicken pizza, two vegetarian pizza, two pepperoni, two sausage, two white pizza.  You can make them (with a little help) or let the whole group participate.  Below are just some suggested ingredients and combinations.  Mix and match, add anything else – different cheese, meat, veggies, even an egg on top.

Ingredients:

  • 10           16 oz balls of pizza dough, or ready made, or in a tube, or make from scratch (see the internet) or make your own with Bisquick (see below)
  •                 cornmeal
  •                 olive oil
  • 1 #10      tomato sauce (total) (about 12 cups)
  • 1 1/2       jar roasted garlic (total)
  • 5# lb       Mozzarella cheese (total)
  • 2 lb         Parmesan cheese
  • 3 lb         chicken meat (think Costco)
  • 1/2 Jar    marinated artichoke hearts – drained
  • 1 lb         mushrooms – sliced
  • 1 lb         onion – red or yellow -thinly sliced
  • 1/2         green pepper – thinly sliced
  •  a lot       fresh basil –
  • 11           tomatoes – Roma – sliced or chopped
  • 3             small zucchinis thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 lb   pepperoni
  • 1 1/2 lb   Italian sausage – cooked
  • 2 pkg     white/ Alfredo sauce mix
  • 1 lb        bacon – cooked, crumbled

Directions:

2 Chicken pizza: 3 lbs chicken meat, diced, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 Vegetarian pizza: green pepper, mushroom, zucchini, onion, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 Pepperoni pizza: pepperoni, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 Sausage pizza: sausage, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 White pizza:  Alfredo sauce, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

Preheat the oven 400°.

Roll out the dough to 16 inches.

Place on pizza stone or baking sheet covered with parchment paper/foil.

Sprinkle a little corn meal on stone/sheet.

Place dough round on cornmeal.

Brush with a small amount of olive oil.

Bake for about 5 minutes to firm up the surface.

Top with tomato sauce or Alfredo sauce.

Top with choice of topping – ending with cheese.  (some argue the cheese should be before the toppings – your choice.)

Bake about 15 minutes – until done.

Serves:  Each 16 oz ball makes a 16 inch circle.  You know how much you eat.

Bisquick Pizza Dough

Especially good for making pizza with kids – indestructible.  Great for making individual pizza.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c warm water (110° – 115°)
  • 1 pkg dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 c Bisquick
  • flour

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 425°.
  2. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
  3. Add Bisquick and beat vigorously.
  4. Turn dough onto well floured surface and knead until smooth – about 20 times.
  5. Divide dough into 4 pieces.
  6. Roll each piece paper thin. into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter. (Letting the dough rest for a few minutes after kneading will help in rolling it out.)
  7. Place on ungreased baking sheet or in shallow pie pan.
  8. Finish with toppings.
  9. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until crust is brown and filling hot and bubbly.

Serves: 4  Note the smaller diameter

Source: Bisquick Cook Book

Jackie’s Christmas Ham

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Fresh Ham – not cured, brined or ‘ready to cook’ (We used a 13 pound cut from Tony’s Meat Market).  It is actually a leg of pork.  It does take several days, but well worth the effort.  

Ingredients: 

The Brine:

  • 4 liters of water
  • 1 1/2 c of kosher salt
  • 2 c  brown sugar  packed
  • 1 tsp pink salt (insta cure #1) (1 teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat) (NEVER DOUBLE)

Directions for Brining:

  1. Stir all ingredients together until dissolved. This brine can be multiplied as needed, and if you are doing a whole ham, you will probably need to double it. DO NOT DOUBLE THE PINK SALT THOUGH.
  2. The ham should be completely submerged in brine.
  3. Flip daily (or every other day at a minimum). Brine 1 day for every 2 pounds of ham.

The Smoke:

  1. The smoker should be set to 225° and a fruit wood should be used for smoking. Figure a half hour of smoking time per pound of ham.
  2. The ham should be trimmed of all skin and the fat cap prior to going into the smoker.
  3. Take the ham out of the brine and fully dry it before putting it in the smoker.
  4. Smoke the meat to 130 degrees.
  5. Apply the glaze and wrap in aluminum foil.  If using a full ham (24+ pounds) you will need to double the glaze.
  6. At 145-150 degrees pull the ham and rest for an hour in the foil wrap.
  7. Serve hot for best results.

The Glaze:

  • ½ c brown sugar
  • 2 Tab bourbon

Serves:  A lot!  Rule of thumb, 1/2 pound bonein meat per person would be generous.  Also, how much other meat is being served?

Source:  Jackie Faulk Wolfgang

 

Oven BBQ Ribs – More Than You Ever Wanted to Know!

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Some days it is snowing and you have these great ribs (on sale!) and you really, really want BBQ.  YOU CAN DO IT!!

To start with:  How to remove the membrane/skin off baby back ribs.

  • Turn ribs over with bone/rack-side facing up.
  • Carefully slide a blunt knife under the membrane at one end of the rack.
  • Lift to loosen the membrane off of the bone.
  • Using a sheet of paper towel to hold onto the membrane, peel it off the back of the ribs.  It should come off in one piece.
  • Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 Tab kosher salt
  • 1 Tab dry mustard
  • 1 Tab paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c port or red wine
  • 8 pounds baby back pork ribs (8 racks) or St. Louis-style spareribs (4 racks)  In case you are wondering, baby back ribs do not come from baby pigs! They are only called baby back ribs because they are shorter in comparison to regular spareribs and St Louis style ribs.
  • Low-salt chicken broth (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce (or your favorite)plus more

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
  3. Place each individual rack of ribs, meat side up, on a generous double layer of foil.
  4. Sprinkle rub all over ribs.
  5. Message it into the meat.
  6. Turn ribs meat side down.
  7. Divide port among the packets.
  8. Cover tightly with foil – seal it really tight.
  9. Place in ovenproof dish.
  10. Bake ribs until very tender but not falling apart, about 2 hours for baby backs and 3 hours for spareribs. (After roasting, if they are not tender, they need MORE time. After a couple of hours,  pull a little piece off to test.  If it’s not melt in your mouth tender, add another 20-30 minutes. If they are ready ahead of time, you can turn the oven off and let them sit for up to 1 hour if you don’t open the oven.)
  11. Carefully unwrap ribs.
  12. Pour any juices from foil into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup.
  13. Reserve juices.
  14. Let ribs cool completely.
  15. Add broth or water to rib juices, if needed, to measure 1 1/2 cups.
  16. Whisk in barbecue sauce to blend.
  17. Brush onto ribs.
  18. To get that crispy, caramelized “bark” that resembles good barbecue, give the ribs a few minutes under the broiler. broil the ribs, meaty sides up, 4 to 6 inches from the heat, until browned, which should take 2 to 3 minutes.  ( Alternately, you can grill the ribs on your grill to cook on the sauce.)
  19. Transfer to a cutting board.
  20. Cut between ribs to separate.
  21. Transfer to a platter and serve with additional barbecue sauce.

DO AHEAD: Ribs can be baked up to 3 days ahead (the flavor will be more developed, and the cold ribs will hold together better on the grill as they heat through). Cover and chill juices. Re-wrap ribs in foil and chill.

HOW LONG TO COOK RIBS IN THE OVEN
The preferred method is a low temperature for a longer period of time.

275°F – 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours
300°F – 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours
350°F – 1 1/4 hours to 1/1/2 hours

Serves:  8

Source:  Bon Appétite and several other web sites.